A World Cup jersey worn by Brazilian football legend Pelé was sold at auction for 70 times its estimated value. At the same auction, a ticket from the 1930 inaugural World Cup final also fetched £4,200. Auction organizers expressed astonishment at the sale prices, attributing the heightened buyer interest to the success of the ongoing World Cup. A British tabloid reported this news.
It is believed that Pelé wore the jersey during either the 1966 or 1970 World Cup. Although the jersey was valued between £600 and £800, it ultimately sold for £42,000. David Convery, Head of Sports Memorabilia at the auction house ‘Buds’, described the sale of Pelé’s World Cup jersey for 70 times its estimated price as a truly special moment. He noted that this demonstrates the profound impact Pelé had on the sport—an influence that remains undiminished in the hearts of fans today. People are willing to spend significant sums to own a piece of Pelé’s history.
Regarding the 1930 World Cup final ticket, he remarked that £4,200 is a substantial amount for a mere scrap of paper. However, the ticket serves as a memento of the dawn of football’s greatest historical event. Just imagine the feeling of being present at the first-ever World Cup final! He added that, fortunately, the original owner recognized the ticket’s historical significance and preserved it carefully; they likely never imagined it would sell for thousands of pounds nearly a century later. Convery observed that the World Cup is one of the few sporting events capable of bringing an entire nation to a standstill to watch the game, and that emotion does not fade even after the final whistle blows. He further noted that every four years, a new generation falls in love with the World Cup, while long-time fans relive their fondest football memories—something clearly witnessed at the auction.
David Beckham’s Jersey Also Sold
Two jerseys worn by David Beckham—specifically from the match where he received a red card while captaining England—were also sold at the auction for £26,000. Beckham was the first footballer in history to receive two red cards while playing for England. He was sent off during a 2006 World Cup qualifier against Austria at Old Trafford in 2005. Prior to that, he had controversially received a red card and was sent off for kicking Argentina’s Diego Simeone during the 1998 World Cup. Now, both the jerseys he wore—one in the first half and the other in the second half—of that 2005 match have been sold. David Convery noted that David Beckham remains one of the most sought-after names in the football memorabilia market. These jerseys serve as mementos of a significant chapter in his England career—albeit one he might prefer to forget.
He added that finding two jerseys worn in the same international match together is extremely rare, especially given that the match is remembered for such a pivotal moment in English football history. In his words, the jerseys bear clear signs of match use; one can almost detect the scent of actual gameplay. Collectors look for exactly this kind of memorabilia.
Beckham received the red card during the match against Austria at Old Trafford, Manchester, on October 8, 2005. With this, he set a record as the first England captain to be sent off. At the time, both Beckham and then-England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson expressed dissatisfaction with the referee’s decision, describing it as “extremely harsh.” Even the Austrian coach admitted that he did not feel the red card decision was justified.
